"I bought nutella and tabasco sauce"

written Nov 11

Last week we went to a grocery store called jumbo because we heard they had jiff peanut butter in their international section.. turned out it was all gone. So I bought nutella and tabasco sauce. I have been dying for some spicy/hot foods because they don´t eat those here.

This week we had zone meeting and some big things went down. They changed the way we will be counting our weekly numbers for our key indicators (numbers that keep track of what we are doing and where we can improve) every week. Also, there was a big focus on rededicating ourselves as a mission because it is in a slump right now. We were pretty pumped coming out of there.

I gave a talk in church yesterday on missionary work and the gospel of Jesus Christ which turned out well. I´ve realized on my mission how much I like to speak in chruch... it´s always been something I look forward to because it makes me grow in knowledge and testimony. 

I´d like to share something this week about a member we have in our ward. He is turning 80 years old this month. He has a old man/witty sense of humor that reminds me of some people back home. He says that he will be completing his first 80 years next month.. haha. Anyways, he is one of the greatest examples I have ever seen of true humility before the Lord and a person with an eternal perspective. He accompanies us to lessons about 2 or 3 times a week because he is always available and willing. In fact, he tries to go out with us more but sometimes we have to take other members. He struggles to walk because he has a bad leg but is always willing to walk farther than we´ll let him. His knowledge of the Gospel is profound and every time I talk to him I feel like I am only tapping the surface of what he knows. However, in lessons he can communicate with our investigators in simple, precise terms that always hit right on the head of what we want to say. Basically, what I want to get across about this man is that he is a great example of never stepping back or making excuses because of his age and abilities. He is dedicated and motivated even in his old age and I believe he will be until at least he next 80 years are over ;) 

Hope everyone is doing well back home and I am praying for you all.

Love, 

Elder Rainock

"Jolly Ranchers and Tootsie Rolls were enjoyed by all"

written Nov 4

Our investigator from last week did not make it to church this week so that was pretty disappointing but we saw lots of good things happen this week. In particular, on of our zone leaders was in this area about a year and a half ago. He came to the area to do exchanges with us and we visited some old investigators of his that were close to baptism but never got baptized. We found a lot of new people that way that already have a good basis in what we teach and were well received into their homes. That was a huge help for us!

This week was Halloween! It isn´t celebrated nearly as much here as in the states but we saw a few kids in costume carrying baskets for candy. They don´t knock on doors or anything here but some people sit outside of their houses waiting for trick-or-treaters to come around and give them candy. I was very excited to see kids out trick-or-treating because I had just received a fresh supply of american candy from mom. I gave it all away within a matter of hours and it was awesome to see how happy the kids were. Parents were asking for some too because they wanted to try the american candy. Jolly Ranchers and Tootsie Rolls were enjoyed by all :)

The mission is going well and I am happy. We have a large quantity of people to visit so that is great. We hardly have a moment where we don´t know what to do even if everything is falling through. Our biggest focus right now is finding who, of the people we know, is ready right now. 

Hope everything is good back home. Love you guys and I am praying for you all.

- Elder Rainock

" I AM doing what I feel is right"

written Oct 28

The internet cafe closed early last week so I didn´t get time to write a blog. Everything is good down here in Godoy Cruz and the work is plenty. The weather is really nice right now (sometimes a bit on the warm side) and lots of people are out on the streets so ít´s prime for missionary work.

 

Elder Rich and I are doing really well. There are defnitely some rough days but we just push right through them and we realize that our great moments totally make up for those rough days. As long as we keep our attitudes positive then the lows aren´t really all that low.

 

This week we had a great investigator come to church. He is an older man, 76 years old, very smart, strong belief in God, and has a mind-blowing knowledge of the Bible. He has had some pretty crazy near death experiences. He has had a stray bullet that someone shot off into the air during one of the holidays come down and get lodged in his head... it was removed and he didn´t suffer at all from it. It was inches away from either killing him or paralyzing him. He has also had throat cancer and now is perfectly fine. He has told us that, "God still has me here for a reason and I don´t know what it is yet." We made sure to take that opportunity to tell him that it´s to receive the restored gospel ;)

 

When we first started talking to him he would tell us that he admires us for what we do but would then remind us to not get held down by an "institution" when it comes to our belief in God but to follow what our heart tells us to do. That always left me with a good opportunity to bear my testimony that I AM doing what I feel is right. I have prayed and I know through the spirit that this church possesses the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and all of the blessings that come along with that. After a few weeks of our chats he has really started to open up to us and accept what we have to say. He doesn´t deny that we are doing what we feel is right and he says he has felt the spirit many times when we talk to him. He is well known in the Godoy Cruz area as a man of faith. Many people come to him for their problems and priests, pastors, missionaries from all churchs, are always coming to him to try to "convince" him to come to their church because they know he would be a very faithful member. Well, yesterday, he came to our church. He said this was a big step for him and that he wasn´t just doing it for no reason. He told us, "you guys are the first missionaries that have been able to convince me and look where I am now" as he referred to standing in our church. That made me so happy. On top of that he loved the sacrament meeting! He said his favorite part was when the people would share their testimony because he could feel that the people in our church are sincere.. He then said, "you guys should have a sunday where everyone who wants to can get up and shares their testimonies." Little did he know that that is next sunday.. haha :)

 

Anyways, things are going along nicely here. Hope everyone is doing well back home and my prayers are being sent your way.

 

Love,

 

Elder Rainock